How to Banish Belly Bulge

Years ago, people thought that the trick to getting a flat abdominal area was to do lots and lots of sit-ups or crunches. While all those crunches do help tone and strengthen your abdominal muscles, they aren’t going to do much about your belly bulge. That’s because strength training does little to actually burn away fat. Plus, as you probably know, you can’t spot tone your body. Fat  burning is an all over process.

If you’ve got a bit of a belly bulge and are wishing for a flatter tummy, the good news is that there are several things you can do about it. They range from at home changes to treatments at a medical spa.

Change Your Diet

Although dietary changes might not completely melt away a belly bulge, belly fat is often the first to go when you start to lose weight. One dietary change that can lead to a flatter tummy over time is to eat more fiber. Add one or two servings of fruits and vegetables to your daily intake. That can mean eating an apple or other piece of fruit at lunch and adding a cup or so of veggies to your evening meal.

You might also consider swapping out foods that create a lot of gas in your digestive system with foods that don’t. For example, complex carbs produce a lot of air as your body breaks them down. The gas produced can make your belly look bigger than it really is, giving you a bit of a bulge. You don’t have to go carb-free, just make sure your meals aren’t purely carb-based. Aim for 30 percent protein, 30  percent fat and 40 percent carbs in your diet throughout the day.

Speaking of fat, make sure the fat you’re eating is the right one. Saturated fats are bad news for your heart while polyunsaturated fats can help you build muscle mass. Just don’t overdo it with any type of fat.

Another dietary change worth considering is reducing the amount of sodium you consume. Eating a lot of salty foods won’t necessarily make you pack on weight or fat. But salty foods can make you feel bloated and puffy, as sodium causes your body to retain fluid.

Get Active

Physical activity can help you burn fat all over, including in the abdominal area. If you don’t already exercise regularly, try to get at least half an hour of moderate activity several times a week. Talk to your doctor before you start any exercise routine to make sure you’re healthy enough to do so.

Remember that your exercise doesn’t have to target the abdomen. Running, walking or cycling are all great, fun ways to get your heart rate up and burn some fat.

Consider Coolsculpting

You’ve changed your diet, you’e started exercising more and you’ve even lost some weight. But you still have a bit of a belly bulge. As it turns out, some types of fat are more stubborn than others. If you’re still dealing with a tummy pooch even though you workout and eat healthily, non-surgical fat removal, such as Coolsculpting, might be just what you need.

Coolsculpting works by freezing fat in particular areas of the body. Exposure to cold temperatures destroys the fat cells. Over the course of several weeks or months, your body metabolizes and flushes out the damaged cells, leaving you with a slimmer physique.

Each Coolsculpting treatment session takes one hour, during which time you’ll be able to relax, read or watch TV. Treatment isn’t uncomfortable, as the area being treated quickly goes numb.

After treatment, it can take up to 16 weeks before you see the full, final results. Some people see results sooner. It all depends on how quickly your body processes the fat cells. You can repeat the treatment if you want to improve your results. Otherwise, once the fat is gone, it’s gone for good.

Skin Tightening Might Do the Trick

Sometimes, a belly bulge isn’t caused by extra fat, but by extra loose skin. If you’ve lost weight or have been pregnant, your skin might have stretched and not been able to “bounce” back afterward. Titan Skin Tightening is a non-surgical skin tightening treatment that can help eliminate a tummy pooch created by extra, loose skin.

Titan uses infrared light to heat the area being treated. The energy from the light encourages new collagen production. Usually, people get the results they are after with a series of two to three treatments, spaced over the course of six months.

Are you ready to say good-bye to belly bulge? Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique in Houston, Texas, is here to help you out. To learn more about Coolsculpting or Titan Skin Tightening, call 281-810-9083 to schedule a consultation today.